Solid-state lighting devices have many uses in industrial applications. Ultraviolet (UV) lighting devices have become fairly common for curing photo sensitive media such as coatings, including inks, adhesives, preservatives, etc. Curing time of these photo sensitive media may be controlled via adjusting intensity of light directed at the photo sensitive media or the amount of time that the photo sensitive media is exposed to light from the solid-state lighting device. Solid-state lighting devices typically use less power, cost less and may have easier disposal than current mercury arc lamp devices.
Solid-state lighting devices may consist of laser diodes or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as examples. The device typically has an array or several arrays arranged to provide light with a particular profile, such as a long, thin light region, or wider and deeper light regions. The individual elements reside in arrays, a lighting device may consist of several arrays, or several arrays arranged in modules, with the lighting device having several modules. If the solid state lighting devices are supplied with a varying amount of current, or if different groups of photo sensitive media are exposed to light for different durations, photo sensitive curing times may vary or may be insufficient to provide a desired level of curing.
The inventor herein has recognized the above-mentioned disadvantages and has developed a system for operating one or more light emitting devices, comprising: a voltage regulator including a feedback input, the voltage regulator in electrical communication with the one or more light emitting devices; and a current sensing device positioned in a current path through which a current passes through the one or more light emitting devices.
By controlling current flow through a lighting array based on current feedback, it may be possible to more precisely control light intensity of a lighting array. For example, current flowing through a variable resistance device may be controlled responsive to current flow that is measured flowing through a lighting array. As a result, current supplied to the lighting array and light intensity may converge to desired values. In other examples, a voltage output of a buck voltage regulator may be adjusted responsive to current flowing through a lighting array. Current flowing through the lighting array is adjusted via varying voltage applied to the lighting array. In this way, the buck voltage regulator is adjusted responsive to current flow through the lighting array so as to provide closed loop feedback control of current flowing through the lighting array.
The present description may provide several advantages. Specifically, the approach may improve lighting system light intensity control. Further, the approach may provide lower power consumption via providing efficient electrical current control. Further still, the approach may be provided via alternative devices so that the design remains flexible and cost effective.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.